


Learning to Feel Again

by wistful_reveries



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Dissociation, Emotional Baggage, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Healing, I swear it's not actually that heavy, Mental Health Issues, Mutual Pining, No matter how serious I try to write I always end up adding silly stuff, References to Depression, Slow Burn, Social Anxiety, Swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:01:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25225039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wistful_reveries/pseuds/wistful_reveries
Summary: Al wasn’t sure when, or how it had happened, but she’d lost the excitement for life she had as a kid. Her days working for JojoCorp were blurring together, and the city was suffocating her. Her only plan of action was to escape Zuzu City to a little place called Pelican Town.Sebastian grew up in Pelican Town, but he was itching to get out. His days working in his mom’s basement were blurring together and nothing surprised him anymore, nothing made him laugh. His only plan of action was to escape this quiet town to Zuzu City.When the two anxious bastards meet, it’s a disaster. Nonetheless, it’s the beginning of a beautiful, fumbling romance.
Relationships: Abigail/Maru (Stardew Valley), Penny/Sam (Stardew Valley), Sebastian/Female Player (Stardew Valley), Sebastian/Player (Stardew Valley)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 34





	1. Old Roots

**Author's Note:**

> What started as making my attempt at writing a Sebastian/Female Player fic has turned into expressing my experiences with anxiety through writing. I hope it's as cathartic for others who suffer from anxiety as it is for me. 
> 
> This is my first AO3 fic, and my first multi-chapter fic. I do hope you enjoy it!

Al clutched her grandfather’s letter as she looked out the bus window. There in that envelope lied the key to a new, better life, or at least she hoped. It contained the deed to Moonlight Farm, her new home. This was the biggest risk she had ever taken. Sure, she had a green thumb, but taking on an entire farm by herself was another matter entirely. Grandpa Harold had done it, so she could too... right? 

As Zuzu City gave way to trees and hills, she already began to feel a weight being lifted off her. The city was loud, crowded, and cold. What she needed was to get away from all that, to a place that was more real. Stardew Valley seemed just the place for that. She looked back at the city, falling ever farther behind, and remembered her mother’s face as she boarded the bus. The middle-aged woman had been holding back tears as she hugged her daughter goodbye. This would be the farthest Al had ever moved from her. She shook her head to clear the thought. Now was not the time to be holding onto the past. She put in her earbuds and opened her book, settling in for the long ride to Pelican Town. To home. 

\- 

Al stepped off the bus and closed her eyes as a crisp spring breeze waved over her. She was immediately struck by how much cleaner the air was here than in the city. It took her a moment before she realized a woman stood before her, with a friendly smile and a yellow vest. 

“Hello! You must be Al. I’m Robin, the local carpenter. Mayor Lewis sent me here to fetch you and show you to your new home. He’s there right now tidying up for your arrival,” she said, extending a hand, once Al noticed her. 

“Yep, that’s me,” Al replied, smiling nervously and shaking her hand. She knew that the town was filled with kind people, but she still found meeting new people difficult. 

“Don’t worry, we’re all good people here. Once you get settled in and meet everyone, you’ll be part of the town in no time. Come on, your farm is this way.” 

Al followed her down a dirt pathway lined with old wooden fencing. It took a few minutes before she began to feel any familiarity with the place. The last time she saw the farm she was ten years old, and now she was twenty-one. She basked in the nostalgia, but a new feeling erupted when they arrived at the farm. It was completely overgrown! Weeds grew everywhere, and fallen branches littered the landscape. Robin must have noticed her reaction, because she began reassuring Al about the soil’s quality. 

“Ah, the new farmer!” 

_Oh no, another new person _.__

____

____

An old man with a well-groomed grey mustache had exited the little cottage twenty feet away. But wait, this wasn’t a new person. Fuzzy memories were beginning to come back of her grandpa chatting with another man his age, but is it really the same guy? Still the mayor over a decade later? 

“Lewis! Correct me if I’m wrong, but weren’t you also the mayor when I was a kid?” 

He chuckled. “You are correct, young lady. I've been Mayor of Pelican Town for over twenty years! No one ever runs against me when it's time for an election. I like to think that it means I'm doing my job well.” 

“I would say so!” Al replied with a chuckle of her own. 

“I’m glad someone is finally moving back into Harold’s old cottage. It’s a good house... very ‘rustic.’” 

Robin laughed a little too loud. “Rustic? That’s one way to put it. ‘Crusty’ might be a little more apt, though.” 

Never had Al seen an old man look more like a surprised Pikamon than at that moment as he yelled, “Rude!” But it was Robin’s turn to mimic the expression when he continued with, “Don’t listen to her, Al. She’s just trying to make you unsatisfied so that you’ll buy one of her house upgrades.” 

_Smart business tactic _, thought Al as she laughed at their exchange. Looking at the porch, though, she silently agreed that ‘crusty’ really was more apt for the cottage. The years had not been kind to the old thing; she just hoped that the plumbing still worked.__

____

____

Her worrying was interrupted as Mayor Lewis said, “Anyway, you must be tired from your long journey. You should get some rest. Tomorrow you ought to explore the town a bit and introduce yourself. You know, everyone’s been asking about you. It’s not every day that someone new moves in. It’s quite a big deal!” 

“And if you ever need anything—food, company, repairs—just stop by my place. There’s a shortcut from the northside of your farm, if you can find it. I live in the only house up in the mountains, though, so once you’re there you can’t miss it!” Robin tacked on. 

With some ‘good luck’s and some ‘nice meeting you’s, Al was alone. Just her, a cottage, and a whole lot of weeds. She decided to start with the cottage. 

As she entered the cottage, the floorboards lightly creaked underfoot, but they seemed sturdy enough. Looking around, three things stuck out to her. First, the single room (plus bath) came with just the bare essentials. The bed, wardrobe, TV, table, and chair were dated, but at least she had any furniture at all. Second, a mini-fridge and a camping stove sat next to the table, shiny bows atop them; someone didn’t want her to starve, she supposed. Lastly, some old farming tools leaned against the wall in one of the corners. They would need to be upgraded eventually, but they would work. She put her two bags on the bed, and her bass guitar at the foot of it. She remembered the cottage being small, so she only brought what she needed to get by, and a few personal items to help her feel at home. She unpacked her items within minutes, then sat down at the table. 

Crack! 

“OW, FUCK.” The chair broke underneath her. Maybe she would be needing to find that mountain path.


	2. Trail Mix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Al takes her first steps as a farmer.  
> Enter Sebastian.

Al spent the rest of her afternoon hacking at weeds and clearing wood from the field. Soon enough, though, it got dark and the overgrowth got, well, _creepy _. She headed back inside and decided to see what channels she could get on the ol’ boob tube. TV static, a cooking show, more TV static, _Living Off the Land. _Now this seemed interesting; she was, after all, about to start living off the land.____

_____ _

_____ _

That night she dreamt of spring onions, and she awoke the next morning _hungry _. She looked at her small stock of food on the table— beef jerky, a protein bar, and some trail mix. It would have to hold her over until she could get some real food.__

____

____

One road trip-themed breakfast later, she was hacking away at weeds and grass again. Mayor Lewis had left her some parsnip seeds to start the season with, and she wanted to get them planted before facing meeting the town. Did she have to introduce herself to... everyone? Well, she could start with whoever was at the general store. 

Once the parsnips were planted, she washed her hands, changed into some clothes that didn’t have dirt on them, and headed on her way to town. She remembered walking with her grandpa to town to run errands, or to visit Mayor Lewis; it was a straight trek from the front gate. The day was beautiful; the clouds blocked just enough sun to protect one’s eyes, birds chirped overhead, and light breezes filled the air. Before she knew it, she was in town, and she was surprised to discover that the general store, Pierre’s, was also a straight walk ahead. A little bell jingled as she opened the door, causing the man at the counter, presumably Pierre, to look over. 

“Hey, it's Ms. Al, the new farmer! I'm Pierre, owner of the local general store. If you're looking for seeds, my shop is the place to go. I'll also buy produce from you for a good price! A little agriculture could really inject new life into the local economy!” he said. Al couldn’t help but feel that his spiel had been scripted. 

“Nice to meet you, Pierre! I’m mainly looking to buy some groceries right now. All I’ve eaten today are leftover snacks from the bus ride.” _One person down, a whole town to go._

____

____

“It’s never too early to start planting! You’ll only reap what you sow, after all.” This was a businessman, through and through. He had a point, though; why make more trips to the store than she had to? 

She was about to leave, her bag filled with food and seeds, when a girl with vivid purple hair walked in from the back of the store. 

“Ah, have you met my daughter, Abigail?” Pierre said, then turned to the purple-haired girl, “Abby, this is the new farmer, Al.” 

“Oh, that's right...I heard someone new was moving onto that old farm. It's kind of a shame, really. I always enjoyed exploring those overgrown fields by myself,” she said, with an exaggerated sigh. 

“And you didn’t take care of the weeds for me?” Al replied, feinting offense. 

_Please don’t get offended. Please don’t get offe—oh thank Yoba she’s laughing._

__

__

“Hey, my friends and I always hang out at the saloon around seven on Fridays. You should join us!” she said, calming down her giggling. 

“Oh! That’s very nice of you. I don’t know if I can make it this week, what with all the work that needs to be done on the farm. But I’ll take you up on that offer sometime!” Al was shocked. This could be her first actual friend here. 

\- 

Al was relieved to come home. It felt nice to have a place that was actually hers, rather than somewhere that she paid someone else to let her live in, not to mention sharing walls with other people. How many times did her old upstairs neighbors fight each month? There was no way they were happy together. She was grateful to have her little sanctuary, although it needed a little love. As she sat on the floor, eating a sandwich she made from her new groceries, she decided that the first improvement she would make would be to get that chair fixed. 

The sun was already lowering from its peak, but the trail leading up into the mountains was much easier to find now that there was proper light. Chair pieces in hand, she began her journey toward better seating. 

\-- 

Sebastian’s stomach growled louder than his typing. He blinked wearily at his screen, then checked the time. 

2:58 PM 

Four and a half hours of coding. He supposed it _was _about time he ate lunch. He hated losing any amount of time working, though; he had deadlines to meet. He stood up and rolled his tense shoulders (an unfortunate hazard of his profession). He knew he was likely to come across his mom, sister, stepdad, or maybe even a random person from town as he made his way to the kitchen. The last thing he expected was to hear a voice he couldn’t recognize, especially not saying what it was.__

____

____

“Yeah, and now I've got this nice-sized bruise on my bottom.... Anyway, do you think you can fix it?” 

_What the fuck? ___


	3. First Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sebastian fails spectacularly at social interaction. Al beats up dirt.

What Sebastian saw as he reached the top of the stairs was a silver-haired girl holding the pieces of a wooden chair. 

_Oh._

____

____

He quickly made his way to the kitchen, not prepared to meet a new person. 

“Well, it looks salvageable. I should be able to get it fixed up by tomorrow,” he heard his mom saying. 

“How much will that cost?” the new girl asked. 

“Free of charge—consider it my housewarming gift. I would offer to give you a brand-new chair, but this did belong to Harold. Yoba rest his soul.” 

_Housewarming? Harold? Oh right, someone is moving into that old farm._

____

____

“Are you sure? I have some money left over after groceries.” 

“Absolutely! You just focus on getting your first crops growing. By the way, have you met my son yet?” 

_Oh no._

____

____

“Your son? No, I’ve only met Pierre and Abigail so far. I’ve been so busy trying to clear out some of the land on the farm I haven’t had time to explore town yet.” 

“I thought not.... Hey Sebastian, I _know _you’re hiding in the kitchen. Get your butt out here.”__

____

____

_Oh fuck._

____

____

No choice, he had to go meet her. He groaned at the prospect, then braced himself as he made his way over to them. He could see her face from this direction. Her complexion was that of someone who was pale from being indoors all day, but whose skin could handle the sun. She had round cheeks, deep brown eyes, and a lip ring at the center of her plump bottom lip. Worst of all, she was adorable. He gulped. _Keep it cool _, he told himself.__

____

____

She held her hand out as he got closer and said, “Hi, I’m Al, the new farmer.” 

He couldn’t shake her hand, or she would feel how clammy his hands were at that moment. Keeping his hands in his pockets he said “Oh. You just moved in, right? Cool.” _Not cool. That was the lamest thing I could have said._

____

____

Al was looking at him expectantly. Her other hand had clutched the bottom of her shorts. 

“Out of all the places you could live, you chose Pelican Town?” _Nope. That was worse. Why did I say that? She’s never going to talk to me again._

____

____

She lowered her hand, looking a little sad. “It was my grandfather’s farm,” she said in a small voice. He could feel his mom staring daggers into him. 

“Right,” was all he could say. He went back into the basement that served as his bedroom, ears burning and heart pounding. “What the fuck is wrong with me?” he sighed to himself once his door was shut. 

\-- 

“I’m so sorry about that. I’m going to have a _talk _with that boy later,” Robin said, embarrassment practically dripping from her words. Al smiled as best as she could.__

____

____

“It’s fine.” It was not fine. “Well, I need to get back to planting crops. Thank you again. When should I come back for the chair?” 

“I’ll send it over to you when it’s done. Good luck with the farming.” 

“Sounds good. See you around.” Al waved ‘goodbye’ and headed back towards Moonlight Farm. She really did have a lot of work to do. 

\- 

“Stupid boys,” Al muttered as she her hoe broke into the earth, “Why can’t they make more sense?” She continued to till the soil. 

“I don’t care anyway. What does it matter if one cute boy was mean to me?” She immediately chastised herself for admitting he was cute. Hitting the ground again, “I’m done with him. I don’t need to speak to him again. There are plenty of other people in this town, probably.” She had only met a handful of people thus far, and she was already taking out her frustration on dirt. 

\- 

Al finished watering her crops just after dark. She looked up at the sky, and her breath was taken away. The night before she had been too focused on the overgrowth to notice, but an uncountable number of stars covered the sky. She went back inside to grab some dinner and a cup of chamomile tea to sit with on the porch. The lights of the city from her old apartment window had nothing on this sight. 

“I hope I don’t screw this up, for your sake and my own, Grandpa,” she said to the sky.


	4. Spring Onions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Al meets the town.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you spot the Ghibli reference?

Dew sparkled across the field as Al sipped her instant coffee on the porch. Dawn covered the landscape in soft cool hues, soon to be followed by the sun’s orange rays. There was something soft and comforting about quiet early mornings. Al closed her eyes and sighed. She had hoped that by now she would feel fully present, but she continued to feel a slight haze coat everything. She was sick of disassociating. She opened her eyes again, taking in as much of the view as she could before placing her cup down and grabbing her watering can. 

She finished her watering, and a bit more of clearing the field, by about the time she supposed the town would be coming to life. It was time to bite that bullet and meet the rest of the town. She changed into a black high-waisted skirt and a pink top, going for an outfit that was cute, but not too ambitious. She threw on the sturdy boots she’d bought for the move (there was no way her usual sneakers would last on these dirt and cobblestone paths) and headed out. 

When she arrived at the town, she realized she had no idea where to start. Should she start walking in a circle around town, hoping to bump into townsfolk? Should she sit on a bench in the square like an exhibit for people to stop at? Luckily, Mayor Lewis spotted her looking lost and came over. 

“Farmer Al! Do you need help finding something?” he asked. 

“Sort of. Um, how do I go about introducing myself to people? I met a few people running errands yesterday, but I don’t know where else to go.” 

“Well, I’ve got an hour of time to give, if you’d like me to introduce you around town.” 

Al felt the tension release from her shoulders. “That would be wonderful, thank you.” 

Mayor Lewis took her door to door, introducing her to the townsfolk. She used a small notebook she had brought along to jot down all the names and important information she came across. She was going to need to study in the hopes of not offending anyone by forgetting their name. The townsfolk were a diverse lot, but most seemed rather friendly. After introducing her to Marnie, the rancher just outside of town, Mayor Lewis suggested that Al go to the cottage they had seen nearby on her own. 

“I just need to make sure Marnie’s business needs are met. Leah is the last person left to for you to meet, so I’m sure you can handle yourself,” he explained 

“Oh, of course, go about your mayor business. Thank you so much. It was nice meeting you, Marnie!” Nothing suspicious here. 

Al wrote down her notes on the rancher as she walked over to Leah’s cottage. It was a quaint cottage, just barely bigger than her own, but it was in much better shape. She couldn’t help but noticed the intricate carvings in the wood framing the door. Were these carvings of native plants of the valley? Her nerves flared back up as she knocked on the door. All of her interactions today had gone better than... that _one _interaction from the previous day; hopefully this last one would go well. The door was opened by a woman with red hair and kind eyes.__

____

____

“Hi, I’m Al, the new farmer,” Al recited her go-to greeting. 

“Hello, it's nice to meet you. I’m Leah.” Leah replied. 

“Nice to meet you too.” 

“You picked a good time to move here. The spring is lovely.” 

“I used to visit my grandpa here during the summer when I was a kid. I didn’t know the valley could be even more gorgeous in other seasons. It’s refreshing to be out in nature again.” Al took a look at the forest just a breath away; it was the type of forest one wouldn’t mind getting lost in. 

“There's actually a lot of wild food in this area, if you know where to look. I've been having fresh salads almost every day. If you’ve got some time, I could show you around the forest a bit.” 

“I would love that! I believe I’ve done most of what I set out to do today already.” 

Al was surprised to learn just how much edible wildlife there was in the area; by the end of Leah’s tour Al had a whole lunch in her bag. While they circled back to Leah’s cottage, Al noticed some wood planks leading across the river to an island, then to the other shore. 

“Oo, what’s out there?” Al asked, pointing in the direction of the planks. 

“I wouldn’t know,” Leah said, a nervous look on her face, “I don’t trust those old planks enough to walk on them.” 

“They seem fine to me.” 

“I don’t know.... Anyway, I promised Elliot I’d meet up with him around now. I’ll see you around. Bye!” 

“Bye!” _I hope I didn’t scare her off._

____

____

Al was alone again, and those rickety planks were calling to her. She could almost hear them saying, “Spring onions this way!” She put one foot on them, testing it out. Creaking, some bending, but nothing too worrisome. She held her breath as she took another step. She waited a few seconds.... She wasn’t in the water yet, which was good enough of a sign for her to keep going. 

\- 

There was an entrance to the farm at the edge of the forest; to get back to her cottage, Al just needed to carve a path through the overgrowth with the tools she had brought with her. Her bag was now full of foraged food, spring onions included. It was more than she could eat on her own, but she could sell some of it and buy more seeds. She was feeling proud of herself. When she arrived at the clearing that she had carved out earlier, however, she noticed a figure wearing a black hoodie and carrying a chair onto the farm from the mountain path. It was Robin’s son; she must have sent him with the chair to apologize for the day before. When they neared each other, he held the chair out toward her, with a soft grunt. 

“Um, hi,” Al said, feeling uncomfortable under his cold gaze. He grunted firmly and attempted again, more aggressively, to hand her the chair. 

_Some apology._

____

____

Al tried to discern from his face what was going on with him. His eyes were almost as dark as his hair, a stark contrast from his pale skin. His hair flopped to one side, threatening to fall into his eye. Unfortunately, all she could figure out from his expression was that he did not want to be there. She must have taken too long trying to gauge the situation, because he put the chair down in front of her and stormed off.


	5. Cold Shower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hot gossip and good booze.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why is dialogue so painful to write?

Sebastian gave a start as his two chaotic best friends burst into his room with a perfectly in unison, “Sebastian!” 

“Fucking hell, guys,” he grumbled at them. 

“Fucking hell yeah, I think you mean,” Sam retorted. 

“What do you guys want?” Sebastian asked. 

“We’re here to talk about the new girl!” Abigail answered, flopping onto his couch. 

“You couldn’t text, like normal people?” 

“Hot gossip has to be shared in person, Seb, you know the rules,” she argued back. Sebastian sighed. 

“Fine, but you’re both kicked out in ten minutes. I have work to do.” 

“I’ll take it. I think I met her first; she was getting groceries from my dad yesterday morning. She seemed cool, a little nervous, though. Sam, first impression?” 

“Ok, I just met her today. She’s cute, but she’s not my type. Do you think she plays an instrument?” 

“Yeah, your type is red-headed teachers you can admire from a distance,” Abigail teased him. 

“Hey, one day I’m going to ask Penny out. I just need some time to build up the nerve.” 

“You’re never going to build up the nerve!” 

The conversation went off track for a few minutes as Abigail and Sam discussed his crush. Eventually Abigail ended the tangent with, “I have to agree about Al, though—Seb, you haven’t met her yet, but she is so cute.” 

“Actually, I met her before Sam.” Sebastian quickly realized that that was his first addition to the conversation. They stared at him with open mouths for a long moment before responding simultaneously. 

“What?!” 

“And you didn’t _say _anything?”__

____

____

“You didn’t give me a chance to with all your Penny talk. Plus, there’s not much to say aside from that she and I will never talk again,” Sebastian explained, but he knew that wouldn’t satisfy his nosey friends. 

“Ok, spill,” Abigail demanded. 

“Ugh, I just—I was me, is all. She came to see my mom, who forced me into introductions, so I panicked and said the first bullshit that my brain came up with. My mom gave me an earful about it last night. I was hoping to never have to see that girl again, but then this afternoon my mom sent me to deliver the chair she’d fixed. I think she was trying to make me apologize, but—” 

“Woah, woah, back up. You saw her twice already?” Sam interrupted 

“Fate just hates me like that. The second time I think I just guaranteed she’ll never speak to me again.” 

“Oh no, what did you say?” Abigail asked, concerned. 

“I didn’t.” 

“What?” Her concern changed to confusion. 

“I didn’t actually... say anything. I kind of just, shoved the chair in her direction and ran,” Sebastian said, putting his face in his hands. 

“Rest in pieces, my man. There’s no coming back from that,” Sam said, ever the best at comforting. 

“There will be, when _we _befriend her,” Abigail piped in.__

____

____

“Yeah! Abby and I can be friends with her, and then she’ll slowly grow tolerant of your presence, like a cold shower.” 

“That’s the dream,” Sebastian deadpanned. “By the way, your ten minutes are up.” 

\-- 

Al fussed over the details of her outfit in front of the mirror. Hair up, or hair down? Flannel sleeves rolled up, or left down? Friday evening had come way too soon. She had already harvested her first batch of parsnips, but it felt like she had planted them only yesterday. She found herself with both a little extra time and money left to spend at the saloon, so she put on some makeup and her favorite outfit—skinny jeans, a cropped black tank, and a green flannel. She decided on a ponytail and rolled up sleeves. 

The air outside was cooling off for the night; it would most likely be a tad chilly by the time she left the saloon. Winter still had yet to fully rest for the year. The nice weather helped calm some of Al’s nerves, but she still felt uneasy about the night. She wasn’t actually sure who Abigail’s friends were. She had some guesses, but she still felt she was going into the hang out blind. 

Al stepped into the saloon and was immediately enveloped by its warm atmosphere. It smelled of good food and good booze, and an up-beat tune played from the jukebox in the back. It seemed like most of the town had gathered at the saloon, and everyone looked to be having a good time. On second glance, though, she did notice a man standing miserably by the bar. It took a moment of thinking, but she remembered meeting him the other day, and he hadn’t seemed friendly then either. 

“Al, over here!” Emily, the blue-haired bartendress, called, “Welcome to the Stardrop Saloon. This is your first time here, isn’t it? Your first drink is on me—no point arguing. What’ll it be?” Her smile was one of the widest Al had ever seen, but she could tell that every bit of it was sincere. 

“How about a cider? Your pick.” When in doubt, defer to the bartender’s expertise. 

“One cider, coming right up!” Emily said, seeming to already know which cider to choose. “So, how was your first week farming?” she asked as she handed Al her drink. 

“It’s going well. I sold a batch of parsnips to Pierre already. It’s no award-winning farm, but it’s a start— _damn _that’s a good cider.”__

____

____

“I knew you would like that one. My intuition is never wrong! And that’s a good attitude to have. You’ll have a beautiful farm in no time!” 

“Thanks for the support, and the drink.” Emily was impossibly upbeat and friendly, but Al couldn’t stay and talk to her all night. “I was supposed to meet Abigail here; do you know where she is?” 

“Of course! She and the boys spend Fridays in the arcade room, just past the jukebox. Glad you stopped by tonight!” 

“Thank you. I’ll see ya later!” _The boys? Well there goes most of my guesses._

____

____

Al stepped into the arcade room to see three young adults engrossed in a game of pool. Sam, a blonde with way too much hair gel, was doing some not very well thought out calculations while taking his turn. Abigail was at his side trying to give pointers, but he didn’t seem to be listening. Last of all, a pale guy, clad in black, smirked at the scene as he put more chalk on his pool cue. 

_It’s that emo prick again. ___


	6. A Challenger Approaches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More tension than your average game of pool.

Sam hit the cue ball, sending it ricocheting off the side, where it nudged one of Sebastian’s solids into the back right pocket. 

“Man, I don’t even have to _play _to beat you,” Sebastian remarked.__

____

____

“You should have listened to Abigail,” said a voice from the doorway. 

_Oh no, not _her.__

____

____

“Al, you made it! Wanna play against me after Sam loses in a few minutes?” 

“She’s not going to play winner?” Sam butted in. 

“She’s not going to play the reigning champ first; we’re not _hazing _her,” Abigail retorted. Al laughed, her eyes closing as she did so. Sebastian took that moment to shoot Abigail a look, but she looked at the ceiling instead. Did she invite the new girl before, or after their talk the other day?__

____

____

“How long has Sebastian gone undefeated?” He tensed for a moment at the sound of his name in a voice not yet familiar. 

“We still haven’t beat him. I can beat Sam handily, but Seb’s on another level.” 

“Well now I _have _to get good at this game,” Al said, a glint in her eyes.__

____

____

“Is that so?” Sebastian asked, taking her smirk as a challenge. 

“Count your days numbered, Emo Boi,” she answered, staring directly into his eyes. 

“You’re gonna eat those words, New Girl,” he said as he took his shot, pocketing the four-ball. 

\- 

Sebastian pretended to be more interested in his conversation with Sam than he was in observing Al. For all her big talk, she had only actually played pool a few times before. As Abigail and Al’s game went on, and as her drink emptied, she grew more comfortable, and louder. She laughed at some of her mistakes, and cursed at the cue ball other times. It was difficult to believe that this was the same meek girl he had met at the beginning of the week. 

Their pool game was nearing its end. Al was taking off her flannel. Sam was asking a question. Al was tying her flannel around her waistband. Sam's voice was going off again. Al was bending forward to take her shot. Sam’s fingers were snapping in front of Sebastian’s face. 

“Get your hand out of my face, Sam.” 

“ _Sebastian _,” was all Sam said back, but the look on his face said enough; he had caught Sebastian staring.__

____

____

“I need a cigarette,” he muttered, getting up. Any excuse to get out of that room. He could feel Al’s eyes on him as he left. 

Sebastian rolled down his sleeves to protect him from the night’s chill as he stepped out from the saloon. 

_Get a hold of yourself _.__

____

____

He put a cigarette between his lips and lit it. The heat from the lighter was a welcome feeling. Since when did he stare at girls? He knew the answer to that, but he didn’t want to think about _her _. He didn’t want to think about the new ‘her’ either, for that matter.__

____

____

\-- 

It was a close game, but in the end Al lost. 

“Not bad, for a newbie,” Abigail told her. 

“Thanks, I’m gonna need more practice if I want to beat the champ, though,” Al replied, walking over to the pool cue rack. 

“I’ll try to teach you, but like I said, I still haven’t beaten him myself.” 

“Prepare to get beaten again, then,” Sebastian said, walking back in from his cigarette break. He grabbed his pool cue from the rack, where Al was still standing. She blushed lightly at the proximity, but he didn’t look at her for even half a second. _That doesn’t mean anything; he didn’t have a reason to look at me _, Al told herself.__

____

____

Al stayed by the table as she watched the game between Abigail and Sebastian unfold. Abigail wasn’t losing quite as pathetically as Sam had, but she was definitely losing. Al studied how the two played, trying to learn tricks to use next time. Sebastian was about to take his shot at the eight-ball when he looked up at Al and said, “Enjoying the show?” 

He had not looked at her once since he came back inside, and the sudden eye contact sent chills down Al’s spine. “I’m just looking for your weakness,” she replied, cheeks burning, trying to sound more confident than she felt. _Cocky bastard _.__

____

____

“I think I’ve figured out what his weakness is,” Sam said from the couch. Sebastian shot him a look that could kill. Al looked at Abigail, but she looked just as confused as Al felt. 

\- 

There was just enough time left in the night for Al to play against Sam. Abigail switched to giving Al advice, giving up on Sam. Al realized during the last game that Sam and Abigail both had a way of making her feel like she already had friends, but a concern still nagged at her about her standing with Sebastian. She had noticed that he was more relaxed before she had joined them, and the times he spoke were much more often to the two people he already knew than to her. 

As the four of them left the saloon for the night, Al looked over at Sebastian. She wanted to say something, in some vain hope to fully become a part of their group. The other two had seemed to take to her immediately, but she still couldn’t figure this one out. 

“Um... need something?” 

_Shit, I stared too long again _.__

____

____

“I’m going to find that weakness of yours, even if Sam won’t share.” 

_Did I just threaten him??_

____

____

“Have fun with that,” he replied sarcastically. Something was off, though. Was he nervous? “Night guys. I’ve got more work to do this weekend,” he said, mainly to Abigail and Sam, before heading in the direction of the mountains. 

“This is going to be entertaining as hell,” Sam said once Sebastian was out of earshot. 

“You’re gonna drive me crazy by not telling me,” Al said, almost pleading. 

“You aren’t the only one being driven crazy,” he replied. 

“What does that _mean _?!”__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I am giving Sebastian a mysterious ex gf.  
> And yes, I did have to google pool terminology.


	7. Waterside Views

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes introverts just want to be alone for a bit.

Al looked out onto the lake. It was almost unreal how beautiful it was, sparkling in the afternoon Spring sun. A lone island, with a single tree, sat in the middle of the water. The mountain lake was the perfect place to be alone, listening to the birds chirp to each other and the pines sway in the wind. She wanted to practice her bass during some of her down time. She had been farming for just over two weeks, and she felt the need for a change in scenery, so she brought her bass and portable amp up to the mountains. Luckily, neither weighed that much. 

She began with tuning, then with warm-up exercises. It had been a while since she had had time to practice, but it wasn’t long before muscle memory began to take over. As she got more comfortable with playing, she switched over to playing some of the songs she knew. “My Boy” by Billie Eilish, “Aries” by Gorillaz, “You’re Lost Little Girl” by The Doors. She was glad that she was able to able to sing along, otherwise playing songs on her own could become lonesome. 

About a half hour into practicing, Abigail appeared from behind a tree. 

“Woah, I didn’t know you were a musician, Al.” 

“Oh! Hi! I don’t know if I’d go as far as to say that I’m a musician per se. I just play bass every now and then when I have some time,” Al replied, startled by Abigail’s sudden appearance. Abigail, however, acted as if she were expected all along, and sat down beside Al. 

“Well, have you ever thought about being in a band?” 

“The thought has crossed my mind a few times, I’ll admit, but for that I’d have to actually know enough people who play other instruments to form a band.” 

“Lucky for you, then, that I just happen to know three such people in Pelican Town—you should join our band! Sam’s been dying to add another member to the group,” Abigail gushed, her excitement being too much to maintain an air of mystery. 

“Wait, you, Sam, and who are in a band?” 

“The third member is Sebastian, of course. Who else?” 

“Oh, Sebastian, right.” 

“He’s not so bad. You’ll see, once you get used to each other. Would it help if I drew a smile on his face with marker?” 

Al laughed at the image of Sebastian with a shitty marker smile. “No, please don’t do that; I think I would have nightmares afterwards,” the two laughed together for a moment before Al continued, “Jokes aside, though, I think you should ask the rest of the band before you offer me a spot. I don’t want anyone resenting me.” 

_‘Anyone’ being Sebastian._

____

____

Abigail bit her lip. “I guess you do have a point. I’ve got a good feeling about this, though. Expect to hear back from me Sunday—that's when we have our next band practice. Here, give me your phone number.” As she said the last sentence, she held out a pen and her other arm. Al wrote her number on Abigail’s arm as neatly as she could. 

“If you manage to lose my number, I’ll be very concerned about your physical state.” 

“Don’t worry, I don’t plan on losing my arm until I’m an accomplished adventurer, with thrilling tales to tell future generations while I grieve my loss.” 

“Gotta have priorities. Speaking of which, I should be getting back to farm work; the crops aren’t going to water themselves. I should really get some sprinklers.” 

“Yoba, you’re watering all of them by hand? No wonder you’re so busy.” 

“No kidding,” Al stood up and strapped her bass to her back, “I’ll see you around! Make sure to text me so I know you got my number right.” 

\-- 

Sebastian looked out onto the ocean. It was almost unreal, how endless it seemed, extending outwards past the horizon. It was pouring rain, making the ocean as messy and murky as his mood. He enjoyed being out in the rain, though, since it made everyone disappear, even on a Saturday. This was exactly why he had bought himself a good raincoat—an all-black raincoat, of course. He wouldn’t be caught dead in one of those yellow ones; no one can brood in a yellow raincoat, and he was in a particularly broody mood after lunch that day. It had been fine, until the family small talk turned towards the subject of Maru’s academic career. Maru was his little sister; more specifically, she was his half-sister. Demetrius, her father, had been married to his mom nineteen years, yet he never seemed to approve of Sebastian. He had taken the subject of Maru’s college plans as an opportunity to nag Sebastian about not having a degree. Degrees weren’t very important in Sebastian’s career field, so he had left school after getting the certifications he needed. Demetrius still didn’t think Sebastian had done enough in school. They had had this conversation before, and the topic always resulted in a fight. 

Between the rain and the ocean, Sebastian couldn’t hear a thing around him, so it wasn’t surprising that he didn’t hear the footsteps of someone walking up to him. What was surprising, however, was that there was anyone walking up to him at all. Who else was crazy enough to be on the beach in the middle of a rainstorm? 

“You doing alright?” Al asked, coming up beside him. It took all of Sebastian’s willpower not to jump at her sudden appearance. He glared at her, instead. Why did she keep appearing when he least expected it? How could he ever start being a normal person around her when she always shows up out of nowhere? It didn't help that he was definitely not in the mood to talk to anyone at the moment, let alone someone he barely knew. All she thought of him was that he was an asshole; how could he open up to her about his family troubles? 

“The ocean is best enjoyed alone... don’t you think?” 

_Maybe I am an asshole. ___

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've got a long chapter written out for the Flower Dance. I'll post it sometime this weekend once I've done a little editing :)


	8. Flower Dance

“Ok, Abby, you’ve been brimming with excitement like a shaken soda can all practice. What’s going on?” Sam asked, after a half hour of trying, and failing, at practicing. 

“Al plays bass, and she sings.” Abigail blurted out, almost too fast to understand her words. 

“WHAT?” Sam exclaimed, jaw hanging. 

“I heard her playing by the mountain lake. I asked her to join our band, buut she suggested that I ask the other members first.” Abigail looked pointedly over at Sebastian. 

_Of course she said that. She wouldn’t want to be in a band with me, _Sebastian thought.__

____

____

“Absolutely!” 

“Absolutely not.” 

Sam and Sebastian exchanged glares. 

“We _need _a bass player,” Abigail implored.__

____

____

“We’re fine as we are,” Sebastian argued, though he didn’t truly believe what he was saying. 

“Sebastian, a word?” Sam asked, motioning towards the door. Sebastian sighed and walked out of the room, followed by Sam, who closed the door behind him. “Look man, I know you’re struggling with your crush, but you can’t hide from her. Abigail is right; we need a bass player, and what are the chances that we’ll find another? Can you just try, for the band?” Sam said in a low volume. 

Sebastian wanted to argue with him about having a crush, but he instead decided to use it against him and proposed, “Fine, Al can join the band, but only if you ask Penny to dance with you at the Flower Dance.” Sam had been too scared to ask her the last two years, so there was no way he would follow through with it. 

“Deal. When you see me dancing with a hot redhead, don’t go trying to take it back.” 

The two shook hands, then went back into the room. 

“Good news, Abby, we have a bass player, and _I _am going to dance with Penny at the festival. Bad news is now you’re stuck with Sebastian as a dance partner.”__

____

____

“What? That wasn’t part of the deal!” Sebastian exclaimed. It was bad enough to have to dress in that tacky blue suit, but to have to dance too? 

“With Maru and Al joining the bachelorette pool this year, we need all of the bachelors dancing. Plus, you know we need to protect our lesbian from being asked by other guys.” 

“Any chance you could ask a girl this year?” Sebastian asked Abigail. 

“There _is _a girl I’d like to ask, but what are the chances she’s into girls? I’m not risking it, mm-mm, nope.”__

____

____

“Fair enough,” Sebastian relented. 

“Thanks, but, uh, what the hell happened when you guys stepped out for ten seconds?” 

Sebastian groaned. “We made a deal. If Sam asks Penny to dance, which he won’t, then Al can join the band.” 

“I don’t know what that has to do with Al joining the band, but ok....” She pointed her finger at Sam, “You better not fuck this up.” 

“And pass up this opportunity? Not a chance. On another note, if Penny rejects me at the Flower Dance, make sure I’m buried with my guitar, please.” 

\-- 

Al tentatively walked into the clearing for the Flower Dance. She was still growing used to attending festivals that the entire town attended. The Egg Festival earlier in the season had gone alright. It was a low-pressure social engagement, mostly aimed towards the children. The Flower Dance, on the other hand, was, well, a _dance _. Al had barely had the time to commission Emily for a dress. It was an A-line dress, with puffy off-the-shoulder sleeves, and a ribbon with a flower motif tied at her waist. Still, she felt unprepared.__

____

____

It was a sunny Spring day, and the flowers of the valley were in full bloom. The rest of the town appeared to already be there, which didn’t help Al’s nerves. Some of the men wore blue suits, while some of the women wore white dresses. She spotted Abigail and Sam across the clearing and sighed in relief. 

“Hey guys,” she said as she approached them, “can anyone tell me what the deal is with this dance?” 

“Al! Your dress is gorgeous! Where did you get it?” Abigail said, not quite responding to the question. 

“Thanks! Emily made it. I’m not exactly a white dress person, so I didn’t have anything on hand.” 

“Ah, of course. My mom insisted I wear the dress she made for me last year,” she looked down at her dress with a look of barely concealed disdain. It did seem a little juvenile for Abigail’s age; mothers tend to always view their daughters as their little girl. “Maybe if I ‘accidentally’ spill some punch on it I can have Emily ‘fix’ it,” she continued, with heavy use of air quotes. 

“You’re going to rip your poor mother’s heart out, Abby,” Sam said with fake concern. 

“Story of my life,” Abigail sighed. 

“Ok, guys, please, can you explain what this dance is before it starts?” Al pleaded. 

“Wait, Lewis really didn’t tell you?” Abigail asked. 

“Nope. He just told me I needed a white dress.” 

“So, here’s how it goes. All bachelors and bachelorettes between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five are forced to participate in this archaic mating ritual. The boys have to ask the girls to dance with them. The girls can say no, but if both a bachelor and a bachelorette don’t have a dance partner, they’re forced to pair up. Last year we had one more guy than we had girls, so one of the bachelors had to sit out. This year we have one more girl than we have guys since you just moved here, and Maru is eighteen now, so one of the bachelorettes is going to have to sit out. The dance itself is the same every year, but it’s easy to pick up.” 

“Ok, that’s actually way worse than I thought.” 

“You don’t have much to worry about,” Sam began, “I’ve figured out how everyone is going to pair up already. You see, Alex is going to ask Haley, because they’re living out the classic jock-cheerleader love story. Elliot is going to ask Leah, because they both have artistic souls or whatever. I am going to finally ask Penny this year, so Harvey will probably ask Maru since they work together. Shane is going to ask Emily, because she’s the only person nice enough to dance with him." 

“Harsh!” Abigail interjected. 

“Hey, I’m just laying down the facts." 

“So, basically, the only guy who might ask me to dance is Sebastian,” Al concluded. 

“No... There's someone else I want to dance with,” came a voice from behind her. She turned around to see Sebastian, as broody as ever in his pale blue suit. Al couldn’t believe the nerve of this guy; she hadn’t even asked him to dance, yet here she was, getting rejected by him. What was his problem? She looked into his dark eyes, wishing she could see what was in their depths, to understand what was going on in that head of his. He held her gaze for a long moment before looking past her, towards Abigail. 

“Sorry,” his intended dance partner said, in a surprisingly soft voice. 

“What?” Al asked, looking back over at Abigail and Sam, but they just looked back at her with hesitant looks, as if there was something that they couldn’t bring themselves to say. “There’s no reason to be sorry, Abigail. I’m not disappointed—I just didn’t know he was behind me. Honestly, it’s better that I sit out my first year.” Was she disappointed? Or was she just offended? The questions ringing in her head made her angry, another emotion she couldn’t understand. 

“You sure? For a moment it seemed like... never mind. Have you tried the wine? I’ve heard it’s the best free wine you’ll get at the town festivals,” Abigail responded. 

“Wait, are you under the drinking age?” Al could have sworn they were the same age. 

“Two more years, sadly. Sam and Sebastian can drink, though.” 

“Abby was the little freshman we adopted junior year,” Sam said, pinching her cheek. 

Abigail swatted his hand away and said, “Hey, don’t you have someone you need to ask to dance before someone else does?” 

“Shit! You’re right.” He downed the rest of his wine glass. “Wish me luck!” 

And then there were three, again. 

“ _He’s not _,” Sebastian said.__

____

____

“He _is _,” Abigail countered.__

____

____

The three of them watched as Sam approached the timid redhead. He said something and rubbed the back of the neck. She smiled and said something back, which caused him to break out in a large smile. 

“Welcome to the band, Al,” Abigail announced. 

“None of you make any sense,” was all Al could say, pouring herself a glass of wine.


	9. Trees and Butterflies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angst to fluff, with a riverside view.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kudos, bookmarks, and comments! It really means a lot to me to see that people care about my story. School and other responsibilities have been holding me hostage this month, but I finally carved out a chunk of time to crank out another chapter. Thank you for your patience :)

Sebastian went through the motions of the Flower Dance, but his mind was elsewhere. Why had Al seemed so taken aback when he said he was dancing with someone else? Did she actually _want _to dance with him? Maybe she was just a vain person and wanted him to want to dance with her. She didn’t seem like a vain person, though; if anything, she seemed insecure. _Would _he have wanted to dance with her, had he not already been paired up with Abigail? She was cute—that was something he had already admitted. He also had to admit that she looked stunning in her Flower Dance dress. On the other hand, he hardly knew her.____

__

__

____

____

\-- 

Al watched as the rest of the bachelorettes danced with their bachelors. It really was an archaic ritual, and to what end? To cause unnecessary rejections? To leave an odd one out when there wasn’t an even number? She was feeling a bit like she only came to the festival to be left on the sidelines. Of course none of the bachelors would ask her to dance, why would they opt for some new girl in town? And of course Sebastian wanted to dance with Abigail; they’d known each other for years, and in a small town like this they’d probably already decided they’ll settle down together. She felt her stomach drop. Everyone in this town was probably already spoken for, except maybe Shane, but she wanted to steer clear of him. She hadn’t felt lonely at all since she arrived in Pelican Town, Abigail and Sam had made sure of that, but suddenly she felt _very _alone. Everything began to look blurry, and everyone began to feel simultaneously far away and entirely too close.__

____

____

\-- 

Sebastian looked over to where they’d left Al on her own, except she wasn’t there. He looked around the field and caught a glimpse of her disappearing around the corner of the clearing, into the woods. She was leaving. Why did the sight make him sad? 

\- 

“What’s gotten into you, Seb? You seemed way more distracted than usual during the dance,” Abigail pried, concern evident in both her expression and tone. Where Sam was loud, Abigail was emotive. 

“I think it’s the people,” Sebastian replied, not entirely untruthfully. “I’ll feel better when I leave.” 

“You should probably make your escape now, while your mom isn’t looking.” He was thankful for how understanding she was being. At the same time, he felt bad that she had been stuck with him as a dance partner. 

“Thanks. See ya next band practice.” 

He quickly made his way out of the clearing, starting the long walk home. The Flower Dance clearing was as far as one could get from his house without taking a bus. He took off his suit jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and slung the jacket over his shoulder. He was used to wearing jackets even when it wasn’t cold, but the weather was starting to get hot. He could feel Summer coming. 

He knew that the air would be cooler by the water, so he moved in the direction of the river as he made his way through the woods. He did feel better getting away from all those people. Large gatherings made him nervous. When he arrived at the river, however, the topic that had really been troubling him came back. There, sitting at the bank of the river, was Al, slowly kicking her feet in the water. The trees left patterns of shadow and light across her, and the wind rustled her silver hair and white dress. She was a part of the landscape. Sebastian felt his stomach flutter. 

_Fuck you, stomach._

____

____

She looked over at him, and he felt pierced by her vibrant brown eyes. She seemed to be looking straight through him, and there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. Without quite realizing what he was doing, he sat down in the grass next to her and looked out onto the water. 

“The dance is over?” she asked. 

“Yeah, thank Yoba. The Flower Dance is the worst festival of the year by a mile.” 

“The other ones are better then.” He wasn’t sure if she was asking him a question or reassuring herself. 

“They’re better, but honestly I'm not too big on festivals. Lots of commotion, too much social interaction... More stress than fun, if you ask me.” 

“That’s why you’re out here then? To get away from it all, too?” 

“Yep. Most people stay until all the food is gone from the buffet, but I usually find some way out before then. You know, you’re not doing a very good job avoiding social interaction staying out here.” 

“Neither are you.” 

“Touché. Why _are _you by the river, though? Why not just go home? You wouldn't need to worry about people there.”__

____

____

“I’m just... I’m trying to be _here, _y’know?”__

____

____

He furrowed his eyebrows in response. 

She sighed and continued, “Sometimes, when it’s all too much, I feel like I fade a bit. Nature helps me feel real again.” 

He poked her arm. 

“Hey!” she yelled. 

“You seem real to me—ow!” She’d poked his side, hard. 

“I guess we’ve established that we’re both real.” 

“We’re both real—no more poking. Damn, you’re feisty for a shy girl.” 

“And you’re half-decent company for someone who hates socializing.” 

“Thanks?” 

“I had half a mind to tell you that the river is best enjoyed alone.” 

“Fuck, I’m sorry about that. I was in a pretty bad mood, and I guess I'm usually better at listening than talking.” 

“I like it better when you talk to me,” she said, a soft smile on her lips. 

There were those stomach flutters again.


	10. Band Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to say that I don't actually hate Shane! I know it may seem like it, especially in the last chapter, but it's just my farmers perspective of him. I'll admit that I did hate him, and Sebastian too actually, when I first started playing SDV. They were mean to me! Their heart events changed my mind, but Al hasn't experienced them (yet). Al's warming up to Sebastian a lot faster than Shane because he's in the friend group that's adopted her, though the attraction doesn't hurt either.

Al watched as Pierre counted the gold payment for her last harvest of Spring. In two days, it would be Summer, and there was no way any of her current crops would survive the coming heat. She could still remember how hot the valley got the summers that she spent with her grandpa. 

“Alright, money’s all there,” Pierre said, passing the gold over. 

“Thanks, Pierre. Do you know when your Summer seeds are coming in?” Usually she would pocket her gold and make a hasty retreat to avoid getting caught up in a conversation, but this day she was stalling. 

“I’ll be selling them starting Summer 1st. You better stock up!” 

“I think I’ll stick to a modest amount first. I don’t want to take on more than I can handle,” Al replied with a polite laugh. 

“Al! You ready to go?” Enter Abigail, and not a moment too soon. 

“Yep! Just finished my last transaction of the season,” Al replied. 

“Wait, where are you off to Abigail?” Queue overbearing father. 

“Abby and I are hanging out for the afternoon. Bye Pierre, have a nice day!” 

The two girls practically dashed out of the store. Once they were a few paces outside Abigail let out the breath she’d been holding in. “Man, you have no idea how much of a pain that conversation would have been if you weren’t there.” 

“And that is why I didn’t just wait for you outside. Better he talk my ear off for a hot minute than have him talk your ear off for an hour. Does he know you’re in a band?” 

“You’re a life saver, Al. And hell no. Being in a band isn’t so bad on its own, but I just know my parents would be way too in my business about what kind of music we were playing.” 

Al shrugged in fake humility. “I try. That does bring up a question, though. What music _do _you guys play?”__

____

____

“That’s The Question, isn’t it?” 

“Undecided then, my favorite genre.” 

\- 

The band practices occurred in Sam’s bedroom. She had never been in his room before, so she had to take a moment to take it all in as she stepped inside. The floor was as green as a golf course, and the walls were half covered in posters. The room was larger than her whole cabin, and had more furniture too. She couldn’t help but feel jealous of his dresser. She missed having a dresser. Sam, as brightly colored as his room, sat at his desk in the far corner strumming some chords on his guitar. What first caught Al’s eye, however, was Sebastian; his all-black color scheme did little to camouflage into the yellow comforter he was laying on top of. 

“Nice! We’re all here now!” Sam exclaimed, just a couple seconds after they entered the room. 

Sebastian didn’t look up from his comic book as he said, “Hey.” 

“Hey!” Al said to both boys at once. She looked around the room a second time and spotted her bass, which she had dropped off before her errands, on a stand next to the bed. She grabbed it and sat at Sebastian’s feet to tune. 

“You couldn’t find somewhere else to sit?” he grumbled, still not putting his book down. 

“I could have sat _on _you—you're taking up the whole bed!”__

____

____

“Do it. That tall jerk needs to be taught a lesson,” Sam butted in. For a moment Al wondered whether the hair spikes were to make up for height. That moment, however, was interrupted by Abigail flopping onto Sebastian’s stomach. 

“ABIGAIL WHAT THE FUCK?” he shouted between wheezes, or at least as close to shouting as you can get when all the air has been forced from your lungs. 

“Put the book down, we’ve got company,” she answered. 

“Fine! But get _off _me.”__

____

____

Abigail got up and smoothed out her shirt. Sebastian sat up and rubbed his stomach. 

_What a baby, _Al thought, amused.__

____

____

“Good, now that we’ve got that settled, we can commence our first full band meeting,” Abigail said. “So, Al, you play bass, Sebastian plays keyboard,” she gestured to the keyboard next to the desk area, “I play drums,” she gestured to the drum set next to it, “and as you can see, Sam plays guitar.” 

“Ok, that’s a pretty well-rounded band. Except, who sings?” Al asked. 

Sam piped in, “I do, and Sebastian _can _he just _won’t _. Abigail says you can sing too! Do you want to sing some of the songs for the band? It would be great to also have a female voice.”____

_____ _

_____ _

“I mean, sure, it’ll just depend on the lyrics, I guess. What do you usually play? Covers, original songs, Jii menu theme remixes?” 

“Mostly covers. We haven’t really figured out our sound yet,” Sam replied. 

“Or our name,” Abigail added. 

“We try to keep our Jii menu theme remixes to a minimum, though,” Sebastian deadpanned. 

“See that’s where you guys are going wrong; you’re not doing enough Jii—” Al tried to continue her sentence with “menu theme remixes,” but the words were barely distinguishable from her laughing. 

\-- 

Sebastian snuck a look at Al for the first time since their conversation after the Flower Dance. She was sliding off of the bed in a fit of laughter. She wasn’t alone in her laughter—they were all laughing—but she was the only one finding herself on the floor. She had so much life in her; what was she doing in a dull, small town like this? He couldn’t help but think that Pelican Town would drain the life out of her, as it had with him. 

\-- 

“Can you play something for us?” Sam asked Al. 

“Yeah, but unless you wanna watch me do warm-ups for fifteen minutes, it’s gonna be a little rusty,” 

“I’m sure you’re great with or without warm-ups, don’t worry,” he reassured her. Al wondered how he was so sweet, and why his best friend was all gloom and edge. She breathed in, and then out, to calm her nerves before playing and singing “Aries” by Gorillaz. It was an easier song to do because most of the bass parts happen between when there are no vocals, so there was less multitasking involved. 

_“I’m looking out at a volcano_

__

__

__

__

_Trying to read the world today and see where you're at_

____

____

_I'll never do that.”_

__

__

__

__

\- 

The air had cooled just a tad by the time Al started her walk back to the farm. The sun had lowered in the sky, but Summer was approaching, and Summer shows no mercy. Still, she was grateful that it had cooled off at all. 

There had not been any playing as a band during the meeting. Instead, they had discussed the songs they liked to play, the songs they would like to play, possible band names, etc. Eventually it devolved into showing each other progressively more off topic TheyTube videos. Nonetheless, they managed to leave with an agreement of a couple of songs to practice on their own to practice together during the next band practice. 

As Al approached her field of crops, she couldn’t help but feel melancholic. She had nurtured those plants from seed to harvest, and some were still ready to provide more if it weren’t for the encroaching heat. In a couple of days, she would be clearing the field of its Spring crops and planting her first batch of Summer crops. A new season, a new adventure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's how I'm imagining Al sounds singing "Aries"
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKrA9yH8ka0 
> 
> Listen to the original version of the song for how the bass line goes.
> 
> P.S. Am I allowed to put YouTube links?


End file.
